It was the 1992 Olympics, Men’s Basketball, 1st round match between the United States and Angola. This was the first Olympics that professional basketball players would be allowed to compete in the Men’s Basketball tournament. The Olympics is a showcase of amateur athletic talent without the pressures of professional obligations and tainted reasons for competing. It was all brand new but the world was captivated to see its best players’ (Magic, Larry, Michael, Sir Charles, Stockton & Malone) against the World’s best and to reclaim the Gold Medal for the US in Men’s Basketball.
It was around the end of the first half when the “Dream Team” as they were called began to pull away from Angola after “bobbing and weaving” the first ten or fifteen minutes. Then, the Angolan team began hoisting three point shots and missing. But Angola refused to run any other offense except chucking up shots from “the cheap seats”. The rest of the game was spent trying to see how the US team’s chemistry would be during their first “live” game together, but Angola never quit. In what can be called “The Angola offense”, any team whether in college but mainly professional NBA teams in a desperate attempt at a monumental comeback or in an addiction to the three point shot will shoot, and shoot, and shoot and shoot. And shoot, until it feels it has done its due diligence.
At those times, its best to remember the teaching of coaches’ everywhere to never foul a jump shooter. If a shooter has a “hot hand”, then run him or her off the three point line. If not, let him or her keep shooting and maintain the team’s offense on the perimeter. Long shots produce long rebounds, so be ready for those and don’t give up any second chance points. Finally, don’t fall asleep on offense and keep getting good shot opportunities.